Source: Canadian Cycling Association
(Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC - September 5, 2010) Lauren Rosser (Squamish, BC) won the gold medal and the title of world junior champion in women's downhill on the last day of 2010 Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC.
By winning the event, Rosser made history by becoming the first Canadian to climb on the top of the podium in the Women's Junior category at Mountain Bike World Championships.
"At the start, I didn't know if I would have a good time. I had in my head to always pedal. During the race, I told myself to always pedal. The course was great, just like at home in BC. It rains a lot out there, and the trails are slick. It was great because I felt like I was at home. It was a fun ride."
Rosser, 16, is one of the few competitors to participate in the endurance event of cross country and the downhill, known as a gravity event. Earlier this week, Rosser took the 11th place in the women's race junior cross-country.
"Not having a lot of training time, it's almost like default. With more training and help with the course, I found some new lines. I had a lot of fun. It's hard to balance both disciplines. If the races are on the same weekend, I usually ride the downhill course just once and if its good, and then it's off to cross-country."
Rosser won the gold medal with a time of 5 minutes 59.55 seconds, a lead of 13.95 seconds on her closest competitor, Fanny Lombard of France. Julie Berteaux, also of France, won the bronze, trailing Rosser by 20.19 seconds.
The only other Canadian in the final, Kelsey Begg (Langley, BC), ranked seventh with a time of six minutes 59.64 seconds, one minute behind the winner.
SMITH SILVER IN MEN'S ELITE RACE
In the afternoon, Steve Smith (Nanaimo, BC) finished second in the Men's race, winning the silver medal in a breathtaking fashion.
"It's definitely a confidence booster for the next season. About four years ago, my goal entering a World Cup would be a Top 20. Now I can come into a season with the goal of stepping on the podium a few times, and that's really cool."
Smith, who injured his right shoulder Thursday in training, completed the 2.9 km course with a time of 4m 40.56 seconds, just 2.63 seconds behind the winner, Australian Sam Hill. Greg Minnaar of South Africa took third place.
Hill has had great success at Mont-Sainte-Anne in the last four years, winning the 2007 and 2009 editions of the Mountain Bike World Cup presented in Québec.
"I'm just excited. I didn't expect to be on the podium here. Me and Sam were sitting side by side in the hot seat, and he told me at one point 'you're sure to have third' and it shocked me. My goal was to be in the Top5. I've had one podium finish before today this year, so a second place here is a good feeling."
"Right out of the start, there was a flat pedal section that was really greasy, so I just pedal as hard as I could but not really feeling speed, just slugging through mud. It opened up after that, and I felt good going through a little section where I could carry some good speed. It was only when I crossed the finish line that I knew how good was the run."
"Mont-Sainte-Anne has lots of variety. It's got wide open sections, definitely faster than other tracks; it's got technical sections with great dirt, and the combination of these makes it a really good track."
"It definitely feels cool to go up the chairlift, with everybody screaming up at me. It gives me a little more push to do better in front of them, it's not often you can race at the Worlds in front of them."
Smith suffered an injury in training on Thursday and still decided to start the race.
"There is definitely still pain. My trainer was definitely good with that stuff. He convinced me that my shoulder was strong, just to block out the pain. The AC joint was slightly separated, and it wasn't going to affect me pretty bad unless I didn't let pain bother me. With the adrenaline from the start, it was all good feelings."
Canada finished the 2010 Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships at Mont Ste Anne with two medals.
